City will definitely enter the Manchester Derby with something to prove on Saturday, as we saw them crash out early of the EFL Cup tonight. While they have won that tournament six times since 2014, this marks the second year in a row that were dumped out before the semifinals.
All the credit in the world to Southampton, who held City without a shot on goal for the first time since 2018. Now City turns the page to Pep Guardiola’s 500th game managed at the top flight, and that will come against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Manchester Derby FYIs
Kickoff: Jan 14, 12:30pm, Old Trafford
Starting XI Predictions: United City
Team News: United City
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: United 22% City 54% Draw 24%
Table Position: United 4th, 35 pts City 2nd, 39 pts
PL Form Guide: United WWWWL City WDWLW
This Manchester derby will be Pep’s 246th game in the Premier League with City, supplementing his 152 with Barcelona in La Liga and 102 in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
And he said that he has thoughts about doing something ridiculous with tactical planning on this one.
Team News
Nothing has really changed- Ruben Dias is still working his way back from injury, and he will likely miss out. Meanwhile Aymeric Laporte could see his role increased here as he eases back into things.
Benjamin Mendy remains suspended.
Man City Team News, Starting XI Prediction vs Man United
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Akanji, Cancelo; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
Prediction: United 1, City 1
No United manager, since the disaster that was David Moyes, has lost his first two matches against City. Conversely, Pep has never beaten the same United manager twice in the same season.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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